The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Malindixe2x80x99.
The new Osteospermum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aabyhxc3x8j, Denmark. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Osteospermum cultivars with uniform plant habit and interesting floret colors.
The new Osteospermum originated from a cross made by the Inventor during the summer of 1997 of the Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Mansa, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unidentified Osteospermum ecklonis selection, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Osetospermum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross grown in a controlled environment in Aabyhxc3x8j, Denmark.
Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Aabyhxc3x8j, Denmark in February, 1998. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Malindi has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Malindixe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Malindixe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Osteospermum:
1. Uniformly mounded and outwardly spreading plant habit.
2. Freely branching growth habit; full and dense plants.
3. Freely flowering habit.
4. Dark green foliage.
5. Purple-colored ray florets and dark purple-colored disc florets.
The new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Mansa. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Osteospermum differed from plants of the cultivar Mansa in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Osteospermum were larger and not as compact than plants of the cultivar Mansa.
2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Osteospermum were fragrant whereas inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Mansa were not fragrant.
3. Ray florets of plants of the new Osteospermum were lighter in color than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Mansa.
Plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of the male parent, the unidentified Osteospermum selection, in ray floret coloration.
The new Osteospermum can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Bamba, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/291,101. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Osteospermum differed from plants of the cultivar Bamba in the following characteristics:
1. Inflorescence of plants of the new Osteospermum had more ray florets than inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Bamba.
2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Osterspermum were fragrant whereas inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Bamba were not fragrant.
3. Ray florets of plants of the new Osterspermum were lighter in color than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Bamba.